Such Strange But Wonderful Company
by Sobstiel
Summary: Five times Steve rogers knew the Williams and the one time they didn't know him. When Amy and Rory leave the Doctor for the last time, they happen to land in Brooklyn. Right around the same time a young Steve Rogers is trying to enlist and serve his country. Set mainly before the events of 'Captain America' and after the events of 'The Avengers'.
1. First Meetings

**Author's note:** This is my first fanfic so I'm going to apologise for any grammar or spelling mistakes now. If you do see any, please point them out to me as I am always looking for ways to improve my writing and this story. If this story is well recieved I aim to make it a short six chapter work.

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Chapter One - First Meetings

Steve knew Brooklyn Like the back of his hand.

Wondering down the backstreets of Brooklyn at unnatural hours had become a regular occurrence for the small gangly young man. Most likely a result of being ditched by Bucky once he found a few pretty dames. Steve liked his friend, heck; Bucky was his best friend some might say. But when at parties or in the company of a dame, Bucky tended to forget that, leaving Steve to wander off through Brooklyn back to his apartment alone. It was peaceful in a way Steve thought. As much as he resented Bucky for leaving him to walk home alone he enjoyed these quiet moments. Moments where the streets were silent were becoming increasingly hard to find these days. Times were changing; the things that had shaped his childhood were becoming old, out dated. Even the morals of many young men like him were changing he mused, recalling the two teenagers he'd seen picking on the elderly man in the apartment below him. Really, people should be showing more respect.

So lost into his thoughts was Steve that he failed to notice the hurried footsteps clicking loudly down the alley behind him. It was only when the young woman collided with him that he was jolted back to the present. By which time the redhead had picked herself up off the pavement and begun to gather up the various food items that had fallen out of the bags she carried at her collision with Steve.

She was dressed so strangely in her funny looking pants and slightly tattered oversized coat. Red hair spilling down in loose spirals over her back and shoulders, held out of her face by a black clip. Steve didn't notice he was staring until the woman's voice cut through his train of thought. "What! Think my clothes are funny looking too?"

Steve's stuttered response was cut off by her angry retort; "I swear if one more little man tells me my clothing isn't 'proper' I will dump him in the nearest lake!" emphasizing the word 'proper' by making sarcastic quotation marks with her hands.

"I – I'm sorry ma'am I didn't mean to- I just- here, let me help you with those bags." Steve held out his hands palms up in a gesture of surrender. Bending down to pick up the rest of the scattered food items while silently thanking whoever had left the dim yellow light on in the room above the alley, otherwise he would have been unable to see anything, let alone all these boxes of fish fingers and… custard? Steve stopped. It was rude to assume things about people he barely knew. But he couldn't help thinking something was off about the young lady. Once he'd put all the items in the bag Steve looked up, the young woman was looking almost desperate as she paced the alley, her face taunt and eyes a little too wide, turning to face one way and then just as quickly changing direction. Steve sighed half-heartedly, he may as well. Standing he approached her once again. Holding out the bags to the woman who smiled as she took them, just as she turned to leave he spoke; "Ma'am I couldn't help noticing…you look a little lost; now I might not be the smartest fella around but I do know these backstreets pretty well. Do you need a guide?"

Turning back to him the woman smiled "That would be great." The woman paused, "I think." Smile dropping into a frown the woman Steve a stern look as she continued, "But don't even think of trying anything funny."

Steve looked indignant at that. Blushing he looked the woman dead in the eye "I would never!"

"Good. Just because I'm new and lost doesn't mean I need a man. One is more than enough boyo."

Steve chose to move the conversation onto hopefully safer grounds. The woman had mentioned she was new. "Oh, just moved then?"

She smiled a bittersweet thing. And Steve wondered what had made her come to this city; she was so out of place. _So out of time_ a little voice in Steve's head piped up_._ The woman's smile faded as she answered. "Yeah, I guess I did."

* * *

At first the conversation was stilted, the woman was polite after his offer to help her find the way back to her home, and Steve's firm assurance that he didn't find her clothes funny looking at all. Just different, he mused, everything about this strange young lady was different. After an awkward comment on Steve's behalf about the woman's heritage "Yes I'm Scottish, got a problem with that?"

Steve and the dame – Amy, Amy Williams – she called herself found they got on rather well. Steve told her about Bucky's (and sometimes his) misadventures on nights such as this and Amy would then in turn tell him stories of the man her and her husband Rory had travelled with. He must have been wonderful, this 'raggedy man' of Amy's, for her face always lit up with a bittersweet smile as she talked of him. Though surely some of these stories were made up, after all, there's no such thing as shape shifting prisoners. But stories are stories, and Steve enjoyed hearing them all the same. Even if they were a little mad.

"So what about you?"

"Me?"

"Yes you boyo! What are you doing out so late?" Amy tilted her head towards him, questioning.

"Oh, I was just walking home myself."

"All alone on a Saturday night. What, no friends to go see?" Amy looked at him slyly, "No girl to go visit?" Steve blushed at the comment, shaking his head in a silent chuckle.

"I was with Bucky-"

"The one from your little tales right?"

"Yes, well he found himself…some company and I decided to return home, then I ran into you ma'a-"

"Amy, call me Amy. You remind me of him you know, the raggedy man, he was always helping people," Amy put a light punch on Steve's arm, "just like you. I used to travel with him, Rory too. We'd go everywhere the three of us. Off to see the stars we said."

"What happened?"

"He- We, we left. It was just," Amy sighed, her breath puffing out in little white clouds into the air. "We just got lost I guess, and he's not coming back- he can't come back- so we'll just start anew here! Me and Rory, have our own adventure…"

The conversation moved on to trivial things. Amy didn't want to talk about her friend after that and Steve was happy to not pry into the matter. After all, such things would be terribly rude to ask of someone you had just met.

Amy Williams's house was small and pokey, and like most of the houses around the area it was squashed in between two more. But it was bright, on every windowsill that Steve could see flowers of all shapes and sizes grew in pots, buckets and even the occasional boot. In the yellow light of the streetlamps it looked wonderful.

"Wow…"

"Knew you'd like it, we thought…well, if our friend ever comes back, he'll know where to find us."

A man, Steve assumed it was Amy's husband, Rory was his name right? Choose that moment to burst out of the house. "Amy! You had me worried where were you?"

"Calm down silly I wasn't gone too long."

"Five hours for a few bags of groceries!"

"Don't worry, I got lost that's all." Amy jerked a thumb at Steve "boyo over there helped me find my way back." She turned back to Steve "thanks by the way."

"Yeah, uh, thanks." Rory said somewhat peevishly

Steve ducked his head "always a pleasure ma'am."

"I told you, call me Amy."

Rory slid a hand around his wife's hips and pulled her in close at his side, muttering into her ear, something about there being no doctors to save her? Steve brushed the thought aside, he had probably misheard. Walking up to Rory he nodded at the scruffy looking man and shook hands, barely hearing the thankyou murmured at him. Flashing one last smile at the peculiar couple Steve turned to leave. When he was halfway down the street he heard a shout.

Turning he saw Amy in the centre of the pathway illuminated by the yellow lamplight, "Oi! I never got your name!"

Steve turned, his voice echoing down the empty street "Its Steve, Steve Rogers."


	2. Second Time Around

**Authors note: **Apologies for the late update, school has started again and with that came a flood of assignments and homework.

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Chapter Two - Second Time Around

Steve Rogers loved the park. He loved the fresh air, the space, the kids mucking about in the dirt. But mostly he enjoyed the space to think the park gave to him. Sure, there was his flat, but it wasn't the same. There was something special about this park, with its bridges and ponds with the stone angels… Steve let his thoughts drift as he wondered down the pathway, musing over the stone angels sitting by the ornate fountain. He just couldn't quite remember when they got here; they certainly weren't there when he was a boy though they sure looked old enough. Heading over to the fountain with the angels perched around it to inspect the stone Steve came to a stop. He was sure that angel hadn't been there, right in front of him. No, it had been to the side leaning over the stream of water trickling down off the fountains edge. Curious, Steve was leaning in to touch one of the Cherubs wings when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder. Spinning around Steve came face to face and old friend, "Bucky."

Bucky glanced over at the fountain, his eyes briefly landing on the smiling Cherub. Steve frowned, since when was it smiling? He really needed to get his memory checked. Banishing all thoughts of angels from his mind he looked up at his friend; "So?"

"So what?"

"Bucky, you never come to the park without good reason, why're you here?"

"Ah, yes! I my friend am here to ask if you wanted to come to a little festival tonight – no trying to enlist this time though, this is just for the show. Besides, beanstalks like you aren't quite going to make the cut on a night like this." Ending the comment with a clap on Steve's back Bucky grinned expectantly, he knew that Steve had nothing better to do and believed that a night out would do his friend some good.

Steve nodded. Taking this as agreement Bucky spun on his heel and saluted his friend. Striding away and moving in to wrap his arm around a young woman who had been standing by a park bench. She was pretty, Steve mused, with long dark hair and full lips. Bucky had a way with the dames Steve mused, though the way he talked to this girl it seemed different. Steve hoped his friend had finally found a lady he could settle down with. "See you tonight!" Bucky's careless shout startled Steve slightly; he turned in Bucky's direction and offered a small smile, watching the couple walk away.

Steve pulled a face, so much for a quiet night. But he shouldn't complain, it was kind of Bucky to invite him, considering how rarely the soldier was in town these days. Things weren't looking to good nowadays on the warfront. Recruiting new soldiers was important to keep up the strong face his country had in this war. Sighing Steve continued on his walk, as Bucky had said – they would never let a beanstalk like him into the army, no matter how hard he tried. Not that it would stop him from trying still. They could say no all they want but eventually they would need-

The crack and the dull pain in Steve's nose alerted him to the fact that he had walked head on into someone. Straightening himself up Steve was surprised to see a familiar shock of red hair. His apology died on his lips, turning instead into a bemused smile. "We really must stop meeting like this Miss Williams." Offering a hand, he helped Amy to her feet; "Sorry for knocking you down." he added a little awkwardly.

"Oh yeah, it's my favourite way of greeting people you know, being knocked down in the middle of the path." Amy grinned as she rubbed her forehead, her collision with Steve leaving a red mark. A strand of long red hair tumbled down her shoulder. She rocked back onto the balls of her feet before continuing; "So where're you heading?"

"Nowhere really " Steve was cut off as Amy grabbed his arm and began pulling him towards one of the grass areas near a bridge.

"Well then, in that case you can come to have a picnic with me and Rory." Any response of Steve's was ignored by Amy as she pulled him towards a red and white checked blanket spread over the grass. Sitting on the edge of the mat was Rory, looking at his wife in confusion as she almost dragged her guest to the picnic. In front of Rory was an array of different finger foods all looking delicious, save for one plate of decidedly dodgy looking muffins.

"Amy I don't want to- Ow! I don't want to intrude on your-"

"You're not intruding on anything, we want you to come. Besides," Amy added looking smug, "I still owe you for helping me home the other week." Smiling still Amy dropped Steve's hand now she was sure he would join them and marched over to the picnic mat. Sitting down with a thump and stretching out so that she was leaning partly on Rory. As Steve walked over at a slower pace he watched the couple, Amy gently teasing her husband and Rory looking exasperated but clearly in love with the woman in front of him. Amy tugged Rory's head down for a quick kiss, before leaning over to shout at Steve, "Can you go any slower?"

Upping his pace Steve reached the couple and sat lightly down on the mat, feeling a little awkward. He did barley know these people. Whether fortunately or unfortunately Amy Williams did not fail to notice this fact, and in typical Amy fashion she attempted to make Steve feel more welcome by offering him food. Sadly for her, reaching the plate of sandwiches meant having to lean over both Steve and Rory, something that the small Scottish woman, who was not the most balanced of people, failed to do. One surprised shout and an undignified topple later, Steve found himself on his back with a giggling Amy flopped on stomach. Pulling herself up Amy shot a half-hearted glare at her chuckling husband, who smirked at her in return. Amy huffed peevishly as she pulled herself up into a sitting position. "Well at least I tried to be welcoming, can't say the same for you." Amy reinforced her point be throwing a smile at Steve. Who in turn just looked awkward.

With a loud sigh Amy stood up and moved over to the picnic bag, searching through it. All the while chastising Rory and Steve about 'socially incompetent men', Steve couldn't help but be amused by the display. With a whoop of delight Amy stood quickly and turned again towards her new friend and her husband. "Found it!" The confusion on the two men's faces only increased her delight as she showed them what she had pulled out of the bag. Two sets of quality playing cards. Falling down into a sitting position Amy beamed at the two men. "Now then, anyone up for a game of cards?"

* * *

A few hours later Steve closed the door to his apartment. Looking up to the clock he did a double take. He had been out that long? Golly, the Williams were and interesting pair…

It took Steve only a few strides to reach his room, his apartment was cramped and cluttered and probably severely out of style with its dusty and ever so slightly gaudy wall paper, but it was home. And Steve loved it none the less. Opening his wardrobe he looked for something to wear, Amy had convinced (pestered) Steve and Rory to roll down the hill with her so his current clothing was covered in grass and a bit of dirt. Chuckling at the memory Steve searched for a clean shirt, funny how such a simple thing could make him feel so alive again, it was almost like he was a child again for those moments. The elderly couple giving the trio a disapproving and confused stare had only made the moment funnier at the time, now, while it was still funny it now made him slightly embarrassed to think about it.

Once he had finally found some wearable clothes Steve moved on to the kitchen, looking around and seeing no food ready to eat he popped open the pocket watch he had left on the counter earlier that morning before the park to see if he had time to rustle something up. The clip made a satisfying click as he popped it open, his reflection in the metal staring back at him over the clock. Well then, he would just have to find something to eat later that evening. Moving back to the front room Steve grabbed his coat off the hanger and pulled it on, shoving a wallet, and his keys into the inner pocket. Everything else that he needed was already in the other pockets. Steve closed the door and turned his keys once into the lock just to be sure, when he was a quarter way down his street he stopped.. There was something different about tonight, Steve could feel it in his bones, something was going to change. And with that final thought, Steve Rogers strode down the streets of Brooklyn and towards the festival.


End file.
